Alarm lock



Nov. 2 1926- 1,604,978

T. A. CRONIN ALARM LOCK Filed August 9, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 a fly". Za

Nov. 2 1,604,978

T. A. CRONIN ALARM LOCK Filed August 9. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 8gwue'nlot auom T. A. CRONIN ALARM LOCK Nov. 2 v 1926- I I 1,604,978

Filed August 9, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 T. A. CRONIN NOVQ 2 ALARM LOCKFiled August 9. 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 gwuento'o 7'11 Ckonzn PatentedNov. 2, 1936.

UNITE stares r'rsr tries.-

ALARM LOCK.

Application filed August 9, 1924. Serial No. 731,132.

My invention relates to alarm locks and has for its object theprovisionof a lock which may be readily applied to a door and which when applied,will present a neat and attractive appearance and by the use of whichthe unauthorized opening of the door or retracting of the bolt willsound an alarm so as to notify occupants of the house and persons in thevicinity of the intrusion. The

' invention provides means housed within a door and carried by a lockcase to be operated by the movement of the bolt so that when the bolt isprojected and thedoor locked, the alarm will be set for operation andretraction of the bolt will then result in the sounding of an alarm. Theinvention also provides means whereby the sounding of the alarm may bestopped by the occupant of the dwell.- ing or apartment by the use of akey or keys which are to be retained in his possession and which may beof distinctive formation so that a key will iit only the lock for whichit is furnished. The invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings and will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a View partly in section, of a door equipped with myimproved lock and illustrating an electric circuit whereby an alarm maybe sounded. at a distant point upon the retraction of the lock bolt;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of the lock showing more particularlythe escutcheon plate which is secured tothe inner side of the door; 1

Figs. 3 and i are detail elevations of inner portions of the escutcheonplate;

' Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are elevations of the lock with the face plate orcover removed and showing the alarm elements in different positions;

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the lock with the cover plate in positionthereon; V

Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view with parts in section on the line 99 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional elevation on the line 10-1O of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail section on the line 11-11 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 12 is a similar view on the line l2-12 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 13 is a similar of Fig. 5;

View on the line 13- -13 Fig. 14 is a similar view on the line 1t14 ofFig. 6,, and

Figs. 15, 16 and 17 show keys be furnished with the lock.

In Fig. 1. I have shown a door 1 having my improved lock titted thereto,the figure showing an escutcheon plate 2 and also illustrating a meanswhereby an electric. bell, indicated at 3, located at a point distantfrom the door may be actuated when the bolt is retracted. The lock showncomprises a lock. case 4; secured within a mortise in the door andprovided with a sliding bolt 5 which may be of any well-known form andoperated by a key 6. The lock also equipped with a latch '2' controlledthrough a knob spindle 8 in the usual manner. The inner plate of thelock case 4- is constructed with a horizontal slot 9 and a pin or stud1O projects from the side of the bolt through the said slot to engage ina slot 11 formed in a rocking arm or lever 12 which is fulcii'umed uponthe side of the lock case, as. shown clearly in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 thefulcrum 13 being disposed near the upper end of said lever or rockingarm. It willbe readily seen that the retracting or projecting movementsof the bolt 5 will effect oscillation of this arm 7 or lever 12, and itwill presently appear that the oscillation of this rocking arm causesthe alarm-sounding mechanism to operate- A bracket 14 is secured to theside of the lock case through the medium of diverging arms 15 extendingfrom its central body portion and having fastening screws or similardevices inserted through their ends into the side of the lock case aswill be understood. This bracket is located near the slot 9 and thelower end of the rocking arm 12 plays beneath the bracket. A. coverplate 16 is secured upon and carried by the bracket, and this plate isapproximately coextensive with the side of the lock case so that itextends over and protects the working elements. One lower corner of thisplate is slitted and the tongue 17 thereby formed is bent inwardly sothat it constitutes a gong upon which the hammer of an alarm may play.The plate 16 is also provided with a plurality of openings "1.8 properlylocated to permit a key, such as that shown at 19 in Fig. 15, to beinserted into engagement with the several alarm-controlling elements sothat the alarm which may may be set to operate or set in an inoperativeposition. The key is designed to engage slots formed in these severalelements of the alarm mechanism and the end of the key may be providedwith corrugations of any desired form to fit the correspondingly shapedslot in the respective elements whereby the lock can be adjusted only bythe person holding the proper key.

The escutcheon plate 2 is somewhat larger than the cover plate or gong16 so that the edges of the escutcheon plate will project beyond theedge portions of the lock and permit wood screws 21 to be insertedthrough the escutcheon plate into the body of the door to'secure theplate in position. The escutcheon plate is provided with a keyhole slot,indicated at 22, and a-lining with a similar slot 23 formed in the coverplate 16 and a similar slot 24 formed in the lock case so that the key 6may be easily inserted into engagement with the bolt 5. The escutcheonplate is also provided with openings 25 which, when the parts areproperly assembled, will register with the openings 18 in the plate 16.On the inner side of the escutcheon plate and covering the respectiveopenings 25 are closure plates 26 provided with slots 27 of the sameoutline as the working end of the key 19 whereby the key may be insertedthrough the said plates to engage the corresponding slots in the severalelements of the alarm which are to be adjusted. These plates 26 are heldto the escutcheon plate by headed studs or similar devices 28 which passthroughslots 29 in the respective plates to be secured in the escutcheonplate. free movement of these covering plates being thus permitted tothe extent limited by the slots 29. Access to the several elements ofthe alarm mechanism is thus rendered more ditficult and all parts areprotected against an accumulation of dust or other foreign matter.

The upper end of the rocking arm 12 is disposed between switch members30 and 31 which are pivotally mounted upon the side of the lock case,the member 30 being a straight member and pivoted at its lower end. asat 32, while the member 31 is an angle lever pivoted above its lowerend, as at 33. A stop pin 34 is provided adjacent each of these switchmembers so that the circuitbreaking movement thereof will be limited.The switch member or lever 30 is provided adjacent its pivoted end witha: longitudinally disposed slot 35 which may be engaged by the key- 19when the sounding of the alarm is to be arrested so that the levermaybe-swung about its pivot and away from the fixed contact member. Theswitch member or lever 31 is likewise provided with a similar slot 36which may beengaged by the-key lib The upper-extremity of each of theseswitch levers constitutes a contact in the form of a tongue 37 ofsuitable conducting material secured to the lever member by a couplingplate 38 of fiber or other insulating material, as shown clearly in Fig.11. Electric conductors 39 and40 are secured to these terminals and maybe carried to any distant point, as indicated in Fig. 1, so as toestablish a circuit through the bell3. Secured upon the side of the lockcase between the terminals 37 of the levers 30 and 31 is a fixed contactor switch member 41 which is grooved or slitted at its ends as shown at42, to receive the terminals 37. which will fit snugly within the saidend portions and thereby form good electrical contact with the same. Aninsulating sleeve 43 of fiber or like material is formed about thecontact member 11 at the center thereof, and the said member is securedrigidly to the lock case by a clip 414 passed over the said insulationand having screws or similar devices 45 inserted through its ends intothe lock case.

When the alarm is not to operate, the switch members 30 and 31 are bothdisposed with their terminals 37 out of engagement with the intermediatestationary contact 41.

Wben the dooris locked, the switch member 30 rocked into engagement withthe adjacent end of the contact 41 through the use of the key 19 whilethe switch member 31 is set in the position shown in Fig. 5. The leveror rocking arm 12 will assume the po sition shown in Fig. 5 when thebolt 5 is projected but when the bolt is retractechthc stud 1 0constituting a connection between the bolt and the said lever-will rockthe lever to the position shown in Fig. 6, causing its upper free end toimpinge upon the end of the switch member 31 and rock the same into theposition shown in Fig. 6, whereupon the terminal of said lever willengage the fixed con tact l1 and close the circuit through the bell 3 tosound an alarm. The bell will continue to ring until the householder hasswung the lever30 to the position shown in Fig. 7 there by breaking thecircuit. The arrangement of the parts 12 and 31 is such that the alarmwill be sounded before the bolt is fully with drawn or the door openedand, consequently the householder will have a chance to. reach the doorbefore the burglar or other unauthorized individual has etl'ectedentrance. ll hen'the bolt is again projected, the rocking arm 12 will bereturned to the position shown in Fig. 5, but the lever arm 31 willremain in the position shown in Figs. 6 and 7 unless it be shift-ed tothe position shown in Fig. 5 by the use otthe key 19. It will thusbeseen that the device is very simple and compact and will operateetliciently to sound an" alarm whenever the locle may be opened afterthe alarm elements have'been set for'operation. The alarm willpreferably be audible but it may be visual inuthc form of a light whichwill flash when the circuit is closed through the rocking of the switchmember 31 or it may be of any other approved term as may be desired. l ihen the device is not to operate, the switch member 30 is in theposition shown in F 7 and the circuit through the alarm will,consequently, remain broken. Then the alarm is to operate, however. thesaid member is setas shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and the switch member 31 isreturned to the position shown in Fig. after each operation of thealarm.

It is possible the electric alarm might fail to operate sometime whenits proper op eration was exceedingly desirable. To guard against thiscontingency; I provide a me chanical alarm which is also controlledthrough the action of the rocking arm or lever 12. To the lower end ofthe said lever is pivoted a link 46 which connectsthe same with theupper end of an angle lever 4L7 tnlcrumed at its angle upon a frameplate 48 which is secured to and depends from the lower end of the lockcase 4. This angle lever 47 has a lateral toe 49 at its free end whichis adapted to-engage under the adjacent end of a bent lever 50 which isfulcrumed upon the "frantic. plate .48 and has its end remote from thetoe 49 disposed above and adapted to bear against a lug 51 at the freeend at an escapement lever or detent 52 which is pivoted, as at 52, upona plate as which is arranged adjacent the frameplate 48 and supported bybolts or rivets from a frame plate 54 which is secured to and dependsfrom the lower end of the lock case back plate. See Figs. 9 and 10. Thisescapement lever or detent 52 is also provided with a tooth 53 which isadapted to engage between the teeth 54 of an escapement wheel 55constituting'a part of the alarm mechanism. The said escapement wheel 55is rotated through a train of gearing 56 actuated by a spring motor57 ina well-known manner, the motor spring being secured at its inner end toa shaft 58 which is journaled in the frame plates 48 and 5'4 and extendsthrough the plate 48, as shown at 59,130 be engaged by the winding key60. The lug 51 of the det'ent 52 engages inan opening 61 in the lowerend of a stop lever or latch (31'. the said stop lever or latch beingpivoted at its upper end, as at 62, to a rocker 63 extending inwardlywith respect to the said lever or latch and having its inner end doubledunder its main portion, asshown most clearly at 64 in ig. 14-, the saiddoubled under terminal being pivotally mounted upon a screw 65 securedin the side of the lock case 4 and the main portion of this rocker 63being provided with a slot 66 immediately over the pivot 65 whereby thesaid member 63 may be engaged by the key 19 and set to permit or preventthe operation of the alarm. If the rocker 63 be swung upwardly, thedetent 52 will likewise be swung upwardly so that the tooth 53 will becaused to engage the escapement wheel 55 and will prevent rotation otthe/same. At the same time, the lug 51 through it-scontact with theouter end of the lever 50 will rock the said lever to maintain itsengagement with the angle lever 47 which is then in the position. shownin Fig. 5, the bolt having been pro je-cted. When the bolt is withdrawn,the

lever or rocking arm 12 will be rocked to the position shown in Fig. 6and, consequently, the levers 4L7 and 50 will be likewise rock-ed to thepositions shown in said figure and the rocking oi? the lever 50 willcause the lug 51 to swing downwardly so that the detent will be releasedfrom the escapement wheel 55 and the said wheel may then rotate underthe influence of the spring 57. Disposed immediately adjacent theescapement wheel 55 and provided with a. head 67 i is a hammer 68 whichhas its shank 69. extended transversely between the plates 48 and 54 andthen upwardlyto-be connected with the head 67 and hung upon the pivotrod 70. The head 67 is so constructed that it willbe oscillated throughthe frame engagement of the teeth 54 with the corners tracting of thebolt 5 without sounding the alarm, the stop or brake member 71 isemployed. This stop or brake member consists of a bar provided with aforked head immediately adjacent the hammer 568 and adapted to projectinto the'range. of movement of the shank 69 to abut the: shank so thatmovement otthe' hammer willbe arrested. The stop bar is provided with anoftset portion 7 2. which extends through a slot 7 3 in the frame plate48 and permits'the in- I ner end of the bar to be pivoted to thelowerend of a link 74 which is pivoted at its upper end upon thesaid frameplate 48. This swinging link 74 is provided with a slot 75 which may beengagedby the'key 19. When the alarm is not to operate, the key 19 isengaged in the slot 7 5 and the link 74- set in the position showninFig- 7, whereupon the forked head of the stop or brake member will bedisposed immediately at the side of the shank 69 so that the swinging ofthe same will be prevented. This adaptability oi the'lock to permit thedoor to be locked without having the alarm set for use is advantageousin daylight hours but at night the lock may be quickly and easily set tocause an alarm to be sounded whenever the bolt is retracted, and whenthe alarm starts to ring it will continue to operate until stopped bythe householder setting one of the switchlevers 30, 31 or the link 74 orthe latch 61. The mechanical alarm will obviously be sounded immediatelyat the door and will serve notice upon the burglar that his presence isknown or shortly will be known so that he will leave the premises ratherthan run the risk of capture, while the electric alarm permits the alarmto be sounded at any desired distance and give notice notonly to theoccupants of the premises but to per sons in the vicinity so that thecapture of the burglar will be rendered almost certain.

It is to be understood that the alarm may be combined with any form oflock and that its showing in connection with an ordinary mortise lock inthe accompanying drawings is merely for convenience.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. Thecombination of a lock including a bolt, alarm mechanism mounted onthe side of the lock and including elements operativ'ely connected withthe bolt, some of said elements having key-receiving openings therein,means for actuating the alarm mechanism, a plate secured'upon the sideoi the lock over the alarm elements and provided with openingstherethrough registering with the openings in some of said elements, akey member engage'able through said plate and in the openings in thealarm elements to set the alarm elements, and means for covering thesaid plate and the openings throi'ighthe same.

2. The combination of a lock including a bolt, an alarm, means -monntedon the side of the lock for actuating the alarm, elements operativelyconnected with the bolt for releasing s'aid alarnractuating means, anescii-tch'eo'n plate s'ecuredover the side of the lock and the saidalarm-actuating means and releasing elements, the escutcheon platehaving openings therethroug zh cover plates slidably mounted on theinner side of the escutcheon plate and extending across the openingstherein, said cover plates being provided with key-receiving slots topermit access to "the alarm releasing elements for setting'the same, andmeans on the escutcheon plate for limiting the movement of said coverplates. V

3. The combination of a lock including a 'slidable belt, a locking armmounted on the reoaevs 4. The combination of a lock including a slidablebolt, a gong mounted on the side of the look, a rocking lever mountedupon the side of the lock and operatively connected with the bolt, ahammer supported from the lock and arranged to play upon the gong, adetent arranged to prevent movement of the hammer, a key-controlledlatch slidably mounted on the side of the lock and engaged with saiddetent to maintain the same in the hammer-arresting position, andoperative' connections between the said latch and the rocking armwhereby retrac tion of the bolt will releasethe detent and permit thehammer to operate. i

5. The combination of a lock including a slidable bolt, a rocking armmounted on the side of the lock and operatively connected with the bolt,a gong carried by the lock, a hammer arranged in position to play uponthe gong, a detent arranged adjacent the hammer and normally preventingthe oper ation of the same, a latch engaged with said detent and keycontrolled to set the detent, a bent lever having one end engaged withthe detent, a second lever having one end engaged under the inner end ofsaid bent lever, and a link connecting the second lever with the rockingarm whereby retraction of the bolt will effect rocking of the levers andrelease the detent to permit operation of the hammer.

6. The combination of a lock including a slidable bolt, a gong, a hammerarranged to play upon the gong, means'for causing the hammer to operate,means operatively connected with the bolt for controlling thelastmentioned means, a key-engaging link pivotally supported below thelock case, and a brake'arm pivoted to the lower end of said link andslidably supported by the lock case and adapted to engage the shank ofthe hammer to hold the same against operation.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

TIMOTHY ALOYSlUS CRONIN. [1 s.]

